I'm in Pittsburgh today - doing a keynote speech at a charity dinner tonight. So what does one do when they have the entire day free in Pittsburgh? You hit up Primanti Bros. the "edible Pittsburgh institution" of course!
The signature Primanti Bros. sandwich is famous for how it's constructed. They start with soft Italian bread. Then they top the bread with whatever meat you want (salami, turkey, roast beef). You can even go meat-free and start with the cheese. What makes the Primanti Bros. sandwich unique is the next two layers: generous heaps of house-made, crunchy coleslaw and crisp, fresh-cut French fries. Definitely something you want to tackle when you're very hungry, and when you have lots of time to savor every bite.
I also love Primanto Bros. because of their history. In the early 1930's, Joe Primanti opened a cart in Pittsburgh's Strip District selling sandwiches to hungry truckers (sometimes all night long). Business was great, so he opened a small shop where he was joined by his brothers Dick and Stanley and their nephew John. They worked from 3am to 3pm, feeding hard-working truckers and shift workers. They served good food at a fair price during the height of the great depression. I like that.
So why the toppings? According to John, "One winter, a fella drove in with a load of potatoes. He brought a few of 'em over to the restaurant to see if they were frozen. I fried the potatoes on our grill and they looked pretty good. A few of our customers asked for them, so I put the potatoes on their sandwiches." The rest, as they say, is history.
So, if you're ever in Pittsburgh, or the surrounding area, stop by and give Primanti Bros. a try.
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